Combined book-holder and arm-rest.



No. 698,0!4. Patented Apr. 22, 1902.

- w. F. HARRAH.

comamtn BOOK HOLDER AND ARM BEST.

(Application filed May 1. 1901 (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. HARRAH, OF DES MOINES, IOWA;

COMBINED'BOOK-HOLDER AND AR-M-RESTJ fiPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,014, dated April/22, 1902.

Application filed May 1, 1901.

* To ooZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. HARRAH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Book-Holder and Arm-Rest, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is especially adapted for use in connection with that kind of books known as loose -leaf lodgers. These books are usually quite thick and the leaves comparati vely small, and when they rest fiat upon the top of a table in an open position and the operator is working upon the book near the front or back end it has been found that it is quite difficult to hold the book in such a position that the operator may conveniently write upon the pages, for the reason that this style of books are not fiat-opening.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide an improvedbook-holder of simple, durable, and inexpensive construction designed to lie flat upon the table-top and to engage the back of the book in such a manner as to securely hold same and yet permit the back to rock to either side, so that when the operator is working near one end of the book thatside of the book having the fewest pages will be elevated and the other side lowered in such a manner that the leaves upon which the operatoris working will lie comparatively flat and in the same horizontal plane no matte at what point the book is open.

A further object is to provide rollers to engage the sides of the book when open to prevent the sides from becoming worn by rubbing upon the top of the table.

A further object is to provide means for adjusting the book-holder so to 'fit books of any ordinary length. V

A further object is to provide an improved, arm-rest connected with the book-holder in a position to support an operators arm when writing in a book and to provide means for vertically adjusting the arm-rest to adapt it for books of any ordinary thickness.

My invention consists in certain details in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device where by the objects contemplated are attained, as

Serial No. 58,323. memorial.)

Fig. 3 shows-a vertical section of enlarged detail sectional view taken throngh' the book-holder to illustrate the construction of the clamps for engaging the book.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

I have used the reference-numeral 10 to indicate a vertical end piece of the device, pref erably made of wood and having felt pads 11. on its under surface and rubber buffers at itsends. Extending parallel therewithis a similar piece 13, also having pads on its under surface and connected with the part 10 in such a manner as to be adjustable to and from the part 10, as follows:

The numeral 'leL is used to indicate rods, each having a square head 15, said head being sunk into the outer face of the part 10. Mounted upon each rod adjacent to the inner face of the part 10 is a nut 16, whereby the ends-of the rods are firmly'held to the part 10. The opposite end portions of the rods are screw-threaded at 17, and this screw-threaded portion is passed through a screw-threaded sleeve 18, said sleeve being seated in the part 13, and a'winged nut 19 is mounted on the screw-threaded portion of each rod to engage the sleeve 1 8,whereby the rods maybe clamped in position. Fixed to each rod is a knurled collar 20, and loosely mounted upon the central portion of each rod is a roller 21, held in position by means of the rubber rings 22. These rings are designed to prevent longitudinal movements of the roller 21 and yet permit the roller to be readily adjusted longitudinalupon the rod. In use with this portion of the device the nuts 10 and 13 are adjusted relative to each other so as to admit a book between them, as follows: The book is first placed between the said parts, and the ends 19 are loosened. Then the operator grasps the knurled collar 20 and turns the rod 14 until they have movedinto'thescrew -threaded sleeve, so thatvthe parts 10 and 13 accurately fit the book. Then the winged nuts are adjusted to proper position to firmly clamp these parts in position.

At the center of the part is a rod 23, having one end fixed to the part 10 and the other end slidingly mounted in the part 13. On the top of the rod 23 I have mounted a wooden strip 24, and this strip is held in position by means of two straps 25 at the opposite ends thereof, said straps being connected with the strip 24 by means of screws 26. Obviously by tightening these screws the said strips may be made to clamp the strip 24 to the rod 23 with more or less firmness. This strip 24 is for the purpose of supporting the back of the book, and I have provided adjustable springclamps to firmly hold the book in position, as follows: Near each end portion of the strip 24 is a clamp composed of two spring-plates 27, having slots 28, through which the screws 29 are passed into the strip 24 from its under surface. These spring-plates are designed to lie fiat underthe strip 24 and arethen projected upwardly at the side of the strip and finally curved outwardly at their tips. Obviously they are adjusted relative to each other by manipulating the screws 29 so as to receive a book of any thickness.

On the side of the part 13 opposite from the strip 24 I have secured the uprights 30 to project at right angles from the part 13. These uprights 30 are provided with openings 31 to admit the rods 14 and 23, and on top of these uprights 30 is the arm-rest This arm-rest is made vertically adjustable by means of the slotted metal plates 33, which are fixed to the arm-rest 32, and which lie close to the uprights 30, and the bolts 34 are passed through the uprights 30 and through the slots 35 in the plates 33. The winged nuts 36 are placed on the ends of said bolts, whereby the slotted plates may be held in any position in which they may be placed.

In practical use the rods 14 are adjusted so that the parts 10 and 13 are held at proper distances from each other to admit the book. Then the back of the book is placed between the spring-plates 27 and securely held therein. Obviously these plates 27 may be adj usted relative to each other in such a manner as to accurately fit the back of the book of any ordinary thickness. Then the book is opened, and if the operator desires to work near the front or the back of the book the strips 24 will be tilted, thus permitting the larger portion of the book to move downwardly and at the same time elevating the smaller portion of the book until it stands in substantially the same horizontal plane. Then the arm-rest is adjusted vertically until it assumes a position in the same plane as the leaves of the book at the point where they are open. It is obvious, further, that the arm-rest will be in the same plane as the open leaves of the book, no matter whether the book is open near either end or in the middle. It is to be remembered in this connection that the strip for supporting the back of the book is capable of a tilting movement and also that the sides of the book are supported on rollers, so that the book thus supported is capable of limited movements. Obviously the use of an armrest of some sort is an essential element to this combination.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, therefore, is-- 1. An improved booleholder comprising in combination a frame, a flat strip 24 rockingly mounted in the frame, spring-plates 27 adjustably secured to the under surface of the strip 24 and capable of engaging and yieldingly supporting the back of the book between them, for the purposes stated.

2. An improved book-holder, comprising in combination aframe, astrip rockingly mounted in the frame, means for detachably securing the back of the book to said strip, and rollers mounted in said frame on opposite sides of the strip to engage and support the sides of the book, for the purposes stated.

3. An improved book-holder, comprising in combination a frame, a flat strip rockingly mounted in said frame, means for applying friction to the said strip so that its rocking movement is restricted, clamping devices fixed to the said strip to engage the back of a book and firmly hold it in position adjacent to the strip, and means for supporting the sides of the book having its back resting on said strip for the purposes stated.

4. An improved book-holder comprising a frame having two vertical, parallel end pieces, means for adjusting these end pieces to and from each other, a flat strip rockingly mounted between said end pieces, clamps on said strip to engage and support the back of a book between them, and means for supporting the sides of a book having its back resting between said clamps for the purposes stated.

1V ILLIAM F. l-IARRAH.

WVitnesses:

J. RALPH ORWIG, THOMAS G. ORWIG. 

